MOGADISHU (WDN) – The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) is reportedly planning a military deployment to the Gedo region, of the Jubaland State, in a move that threatens to deepen political and security tensions in the already fragile region. According to reliable sources, the planned operation will be led by former Jubaland State Minister of Security, Abdirashid Janan, a polarizing figure whose return to the forefront has raised alarms across the region.

The FGS troops are expected to be stationed initially in Dollow town, with plans to advance toward the strategic border town of Balad Xawo. The reported objective is to bring the entire Gedo region under direct federal control of Villa Somalia.

Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre and Federal Security Minister Abdulahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag are said to have held meetings with Janan to finalize the operation’s logistics and political strategy. However, Jubaland’s own regional forces, particularly the Dervish units, are reportedly mobilizing in anticipation of a confrontation, vowing to resist any Villa Somalia incursion.

The timing of the move has drawn sharp concern, especially following the recent failure of FGS-aligned Somali National Army (SNA) forces to seize Raaskanbooni from Jubaland control, while many believe another federal offensive in Gedo could not only trigger internal conflict but also provide a strategic opening for Al-Shabaab to regroup and expand its presence in the contested region.

The federal government’s militarized approach toward Gedo may derail fragile federal-regional relations, destabilize local communities, and distract from the larger national security imperative: defeating the insurgency.

WardheerNews